King James Version
Job 11:12
Job 11:12 in other versions
- New International Version (NIV)But the witless can no more become wise than a wild donkey’s colt can be born human.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But a stupid man will get understanding when a wild donkey's colt is born a man!
- New King James Version (NKJV)For an empty-headed man will be wise, When a wild donkey’s colt is born a man.
- New Living Translation (NLT)An empty-headed person won’t become wise any more than a wild donkey can bear a human child.
Context of Job 11:12
10If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? 11For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it? For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass’s colt. 13If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; 14If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.
Read all of Job 11Job 11:12 word by word
וְאִ֣ישׁ נָ֭בוּב יִלָּבֵ֑ב וְעַ֥יִר פֶּ֝֗רֶא אָדָ֥ם יִוָּלֵֽד׃Read the interlinear
Cross-references for Job 11:12
- Psalms 62:9Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
- Psalms 73:22So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee.
- Psalms 92:6A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
- Ecclesiastes 3:18I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
- Romans 1:22Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
- James 2:20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
- Job 5:13He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
- Job 12:2No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
- Job 28:28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
- Proverbs 30:2Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding of a man.
- Romans 12:16Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
- 1 Corinthians 3:18Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
- James 3:13Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
- Job 15:14What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
- Psalms 51:5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
- Ephesians 2:3Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Commentaries on Job 11:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12For vain man would be wise - The original is difficult and uncertain, ילבב נבוב ואיש veish nabub yillabeb, "And shall the hollow man assume courage," or "pride himself?" Or, as Mr. Good rather paraphrases it, Will he then accept the hollow-hearted person? The Chaldee gives two renderings: An eloquent man shall become wiser in his heart, and the colt of the wild ass is born as the son of man. Or, The wise man shall ponder it; and the refractory youth, who…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12For vain man - Margin, “empty.” נבוב nâbûb according to Gesenius, from the root נבב nâbab to bore through, and then to be hollow; metaphorical, “empty,” “foolish.” The Septuagint, strangely enough, renders this,” but man floats about with words.” The Hebrew here means, manifestly, hollow, empty; then insincere and hypocritical. Zophar refers to a hollow-hearted man, who, though he was in fact like a wild ass‘s colt, attempted to appear mild and gentle…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-12Verses 7-12 Zophar speaks well concerning God and his greatness and glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly. See here what man is; and let him be humbled. God sees this concerning vain man, that he would be wise, would be thought so, though he is born like a wild ass's colt, so unteachable and untameable. Man is a vain creature; empty, so the word is. Yet he is a proud creature, and self-conceited. He would be wise, would be thought so, though he…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. vain--hollow. would be--"wants to consider himself wise"; opposed to God's "wisdom" (see on Job 11:11); refuses to see sin, where God sees it (Ro 1:22). wild ass's colt--a proverb for untamed wildness (Job 39:5, 8; Jr 2:24; Ge 16:12; Hebrew, "a wild-ass man"). Man wishes to appear wisely obedient to his Lord, whereas he is, from his birth, unsubdued in spirit.Read the comment
Topics related to Job 11:12
In the dictionaries
Notes
- 1. Job 11:12 vain: Heb. empty ↩
Commentaries on Job 11
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
King James Version — Public Domain except in the United Kingdom (Crown rights)
Commentaries